CtLAUCionetta clanCtULa 299 



and close, with an extremely smooth surface and a strong gloss. 

 The shape of two of these eggs is a very regular broad oval, of the 

 third a narrower oval with one end decidedly compressed and smaller 

 than the other, but not at all pointed. 



The other three eggs are similar, but less intensely green. 



Hartert gives the measurements of 170 eggs as follows : — 



Average 55'19 x 42'.55 mm. ( = 2"17 X 1'68 inches) 

 Maxima G7"0 x 39'5 mm. ( = '^'(iS X l',5.5 inches) and 



60'0 X 4£0 mm. ( = 2'37 x rj? inches) 



Minima oS'O X 41'0 mm. ( ^ 2_0£ X I'eO inches) and 



55'0 X srrj. mm. ( = 217 X rsS inches). 

 Morris says : — 



" The Golden Eye builds in the vicinity of lakes and rivers, giving 

 a preference to the latter, particularly such as flow over falls and 

 rapids. The Laplanders place boxes with holes in them in the 

 trees in these localities for the birds to build in, and thus procure 

 the eggs, for the boxes are sure to be resorted to for the purpose of 

 laying in. 



The nest is made of rushes and other herbage lined with down. 

 Mr. Hewitson found one in a hole in a tree, ten or twelve feet from 

 the ground. 



' The eggs are of a greenish hue, and from ten to fourteen in 

 number." 



The egg depicted by Morris, however, is of a greenish stone- 

 colour, the green tint by no means very prominent. It is also more 

 pointed at the smaller end than any egg I have ever seen. 



General Habits.— In its actions and habits the Golden-eye seems 

 to be very much like the pochards. Like them, it is a wonderful bird 

 on the water as well as in it, and what I have said of the Tufted 

 Pochard and its predilection for diving and swimming, and, if 

 possible, escaping by these means rather than by flight, would equally 

 well apply to this bird. Like the pochards, too, it is slow off the 

 water, and rises at an oblique angle with great splashing and com- 

 motion. Macgillivray says that it is capable of rising off the water 

 at one spring with the help of a breeze, i.e., probably with a strong 

 head-wind, which, getting under it, would lift a bird at once. 



Unlike the pochards, however, it is credited with being fairly 

 active on land, and the author just quoted says that it sometimes 

 reposes on spits of land. 



